Each year, the month of May brings about YEP Grants Reception, an event that generates excitement and closure to the Youth Engaged in Philanthropy (YEP) program. During the 2017 Grants Reception, held on May 2, members of YEP awarded $11,588 in grants to six youth serving community organizations in DeKalb County.
As an initiative of the DeKalb County Community Foundation, YEP exists to familiarize high school youth in DeKalb County with local nonprofits and grantmaking. Through youth led meetings and outreach events, members build leadership skills and realize the need for philanthropy in our community. The program builds up to a final meeting in April where members are responsible for allocating approximately $11,000 to youth serving community organizations in DeKalb County. Once recommendations are made, the youth’s decisions are presented to the DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors for final approval.
As a group that is led by youth and attempts to meet the needs of youth around us, the members of YEP have an opportunity to communicate with and help those in need in DeKalb County,” said 2016/2017 YEP Chair Izzy Hayes. “I would consider this year’s allocation meeting to be a huge success, as we were able to partially fund, if not fully fund, every organization that requested money. YEP is a growing organization that pulls from almost every high school in DeKalb County and we can only hope that our numbers increase in the years to come!”
YEP Grants awarded for the spring 2017 grant cycle:
| Organization Name | Grant Purpose in Grant Agreement | Grant Amount |
| Indian Valley Vocational Center | to start a Farmer’s Market using fresh produce from the garden and student produced products | $2,500 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank | to support a Mobile Food Pantry in partnership with the DeKalb County Youth Service Bureau | $553.24 |
| Sycamore Public Library | To purchase and install a water bottle filler near the children’s section | $1,435 |
| DeKalb County Community Gardens | to purchase adaptive tools and equipment to empower youth with special needs | $2,500 |
| Hope Haven | to form and support trauma therapy groups for children and teens staying in the shelter | $2,500 |
| Kishwaukee Special Recreation Association | to support the Camp Maple Leaf Junior Counselor Program | $2,100 |
| Total Grants Awarded | 11,588.24 |
Grant applications are due February 1 of each year. For a complete list of guidelines and eligibility, visit the YEP Grants page.
If building up youth through leadership and philanthropy is an area of interest to you, or if you would like to add support to the DeKalb County Youth Grantmakers Fund, please contact Executive Director Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.
Pictured: Grantees gather with a small group of YEP members for a photo during the 2017 YEP Grants Reception.
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